After a knee replacement, most people look forward to bingo night, or possibly tossing a baseball with their grand-kids. Up to this point, backpacking has been the driving factor for my recovery. Even before surgery, the inherent risks all involved around the question, "So will I still be able to go backpacking?" As long as I could strap on my pack and get out into the backcountry, nothing else was really important.
The time had come to put these new parts to work, and that time was 4th of July weekend. Claire and I packed our backpacks and headed to San Jacinto for a few days of nature, peacefulness and solitude in the wilderness.
The first few miles were rough, and the pops and creaks in my knee were very unnerving. But like an old truck that’s been sitting in the barn all winter, it slowly revved up and came alive. By mile 5 it was feeling much better, yet naive of such an outdoor activity. The most significant change came at night, where the overnight duration of aches and pains (in my knee that is) was non-existent.
We summited Mt. San Jacinto Saturday evening, just in time for a beautiful sunset. The hike down was dark but essential for viewing the distant fireworks in Palm Springs.
Overall, it was an amazing trip. We clocked nearly 25 miles and over 5k feet of elevation. Was my new knee perfect? No. But it proved it’s ready for action and fully prepared for improvement!
The time had come to put these new parts to work, and that time was 4th of July weekend. Claire and I packed our backpacks and headed to San Jacinto for a few days of nature, peacefulness and solitude in the wilderness.
The first few miles were rough, and the pops and creaks in my knee were very unnerving. But like an old truck that’s been sitting in the barn all winter, it slowly revved up and came alive. By mile 5 it was feeling much better, yet naive of such an outdoor activity. The most significant change came at night, where the overnight duration of aches and pains (in my knee that is) was non-existent.
We summited Mt. San Jacinto Saturday evening, just in time for a beautiful sunset. The hike down was dark but essential for viewing the distant fireworks in Palm Springs.
Overall, it was an amazing trip. We clocked nearly 25 miles and over 5k feet of elevation. Was my new knee perfect? No. But it proved it’s ready for action and fully prepared for improvement!